The present invention relates to centrifugal clutches and more specifically relates to an improvement in the manner of mounting the housing cover and ramp or cam elements of a centrifugal clutch which is generally similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,406 granted to K. K. Prasad on Oct. 19, 1976.
Disclosed in the aforementioned patent is a centrifugal clutch having a drive shaft on which a first sheave half is fixed and on which a second sheave half is axially shiftably mounted. The second sheave half includes an annular rim and three equiangularly spaced support ribs having radially stepped, axially facing surfaces against which complimentary ramp or cam elements are seated. Each ramp is secured in place by a screw fastener. A cover is secured to the rim of the second sheave half and cooperates with the latter to define a housing which encloses the ramp elements.
While the patented design is generally satisfactory, it has been found that the ability of the ramp or cam elements to resist being torn from their mountings when subjected to relatively high centrifugal forces is somewhat less than the ability desired.